Flight ticket downgraded from Business to Economy class? Passengers to SOON get compensation

Against the backdrop of complaints from air travellers about their tickets booked for a particular class being downgraded by airlines, DGCA is now in the process of amending the ticket booking rules.

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Passengers will soon be compensated for any involuntary downgrade of their tickets for a particular class by an airline, with aviation regulator DGCA preparing to put in place new norms. Once the norms come into force, the airline concerned will have to refund the full value of such tickets, including taxes, and also the affected passenger will be flown free of cost in the next available class, according to DGCA. Against the backdrop of complaints from air travellers about their tickets booked for a particular class being downgraded by airlines, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is now in the process of amending the existing regulations to address passenger grievance.

For instance, when a passenger who has booked his ticket on first class, business class or premium economy is downgraded to a lower class at the time of check-in due to various reasons like unserviceable seats, change of aircraft, overbooking, etc, this amendment will allow the passenger, who is downgraded involuntarily from his booked class of ticket, to receive the full value of ticket, including taxes, as refund from the airline and the airline will carry the passenger free of cost in the next available class.

DGCA is in the process of amending its Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) pertaining to 'facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding, cancellation of flights and delays in flights' to protect the rights of air travellers affected by downgrading of their ticket, it added. Currently, there are provisions for providing compensation to air passengers in case of denied boarding and flight cancellation. For denied boarding, a passenger is entitled to various compensation depending on the situation.

If the airline has done overbooking, then it can ask for volunteers in exchange for benefits. In case an airline has denied boarding to a passenger against confirmed booking, then there will be no compensation provided the airline concerned arranges an alternate flight within one hour of the original scheduled departure.

If the alternate flight is within 24 hours of the original departure, a passenger has to be paid 200 per cent of one way fare and fuel charge, with the amount capped at Rs 10,000. The compensation will be 400 per cent of one way fare plus fuel charge and the total amount will be limited at Rs 20,000 in case the alternate flight is after 24 hours of the original departure.

Proprosed flight ticket booking amendements:

Denied Boarding

S.No.	Scenario	Compensation
1	If airline has done overbooking in a flight	Airline to ask for volunteers in exchange of benefits
2	If airline has denied boarding to a passenger against confirmed bookings for travel on the flight	No compensation if airline arranges alternate flight within 1 hr of original departure
3	If airline has denied boarding to a passenger against confirmed bookings for travel on the flight	Compensation if alternate flight is within 24hrs of original dep.: 200% of one way fare + fuel charge (Max. Rs. 10,000/-) Compensation if alternate flight after 24hrs of original dep.: 400% of one way fare + fuel charge (Max. Rs. 20,000/-) In case passenger does not opt for alternate flight: Full refund and 400% of one way fare + fuel charge (Max. Rs. 20,000/-)

Flight Cancellation*

S.No.	Scenario	Compensation
1	If airline expects cancellation of flight	Airline to inform & arrange alternate flight at least two weeks in advance
2	If airline cancels a flight in less than two weeks before and up to 24 hrs of booked flight	Airline to arrange alternate flight within 2 hrs of original departure or refund the ticket.
3	If airline cancels a flight in less than 24 hrs of booked flight	Airlines to refund the air ticket and provide compensation as follows: Block time < 1 hr: One way fare + Fuel charge (Max. Rs. 5,000/-) 1hr <Block time <2 hr : One way fare + Fuel charge (Max. Rs. 7,500/-) Block time > 2 hr: One way fare + Fuel charge (Max. Rs. 10,000/-)

* No obligation in case of force majeure event.

With PTI inputs